Review

Minecraft: Story Mode Episode 3: The Last Place You Look

One of the best things about playing an episodic game is that it rolls out in small doses. The normal ebb and flow of the story is heighted when one is forced to wait weeks for the next chapter to be released. That said, having the opportunity to mull over each episode can prove harmful if what’s presented isn’t as pristine as we’d hope.

“The Last Place You Look” opens with our heroes still searching for Soren, the third member of the Order, in his maze-like temple. Using the Order’s amulet, Jesse is able to infer his general whereabouts. This leads the group to a giant grinder used to kill monsters and sort the loot they drop. After nearly dying multiple times over, Jesse and the gang escape to the End, an underworld of sorts that’s inhabited by the terrifying Endermen. Yes, things go from bad to “OH MY GOD” in a manner of minutes. Thankfully, they were right on Soren’s heels; he was spotted ascending a staircase, past what looked like hundreds of Endermen…

With “The Order of the Stone” I was enthralled to say the least. The interesting characters, humorous writing, and ever-present pop culture references (all about Minecraft) raised my expectations of what was to come. That excitement was tempered after playing through “Assembly Required” as it lacked compelling story threads. I mean, things moved along – its presence meant we were closer to the end than before it was released – but the lack of any real urgency hurt the experience. This episode, being the third out of five, ironically sits in the middle of the previous two.

There seems to be a theme here, with Jesse hunting down the members of the Order only to find them going about their mundane lives. Well, mundane as can be for these eccentric old heroes. Unfortunately, what they are doing when found isn’t all that interesting; the fact that we find out that Soren has been studying the Enderman brings nothing to the story outside of just being a thing that happens. The more interesting tidbits like why he’s so reclusive or what was the deal with his makeshift “paradise,” are afterthoughts shown to the player before they move on.

Getting Soren to help them build his F-Bomb in hopes of stopping the Wither Storm is what’s most important. I get that. The problem is that majority of this episode shows Jesse and the rest doing everything but that. Because so much time is spent on hints at what makes Soren tick, I expected to get a better understanding of the character. Maybe that was asking too much? It is possible that the later episodes will reveal why the Order acts the way they do.

Beyond what seemed like padded sections, were some entertaining encounters and meaningful dialogue between members of the core group. There’s even some character development with Jesse; we get to see him or her become more of the hero they are destined to be. All of that is anchored by a twist I genuinely didn’t see coming. Basically the episode is saved by its later half, restoring my excitement for what’s to come.